


The Fears

by BookshopLaura



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 18:10:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4574628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookshopLaura/pseuds/BookshopLaura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin decides it's time to tell Arthur about his magic</p><p>NB I am so sorry guys, this is incredibly depressing. Honestly, I write depressing all the time, and this is sad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fears

Merlin decides to tell Arthur about his magi one day when they've gone out hunting. Well when Arthur has dragged him out hunting. He's thought about it for a long time. Now they're sitting companionably eating the rabbit that Arthur had caught. The fire is warm against his face, almost burning, the bones lay discarded on the floor. They're leaning on a log, next to each other, close, so close the material of Arthur's cape is brushing Merlin's arm when Arthur moves.

"You're quiet tonight." says Arthur, smiling a little and nudging him with his shoulder.

"Just thinking." says Merlin, but his heart hammers at what he wants to say.

"Well don't think too hard!" says Arthur, jokingly, but he's right. Because the more Merlin thinks about this, the less likely he is to do it. So he braces himself, sitting forwards his hands clasped together on his lap, bites his lip for a moment and then says 

"Arthur I... I have magic." For a moment there's silence.

"What are you talking about?" says Arthur incredulously. 

"This is some kind of joke, right? One of the knights has put you up to this!" He's not angry. He just doesn't believe it. 

"I mean it, Arthur!" says Merlin jumping up and looking around. He needs a spell, any spell. He remembers the dragon he'd created once, runs to the side of the fire. Arthur is looking on with a face that is mostly unimpressed with a little inquisitive. Merlin looks at him, and for a moment thinks 'I must remember that face' because he knows it may be the last time Arthur looks on him as a friend. Then, nearly crying, he raises his hand towards the fire and utters the spell. He sees the beating wings of the dragon form in the sparks from the fire, and when he turns to look at Arthur, Arthur's face is serious. That look is gone. Arthur's staring at the fire, at the now dissipating image of the dragon. His face is blank except that his eyes are wide. Merlin steps towards him.

"Arthur..."

"Get back!" says Arthur jumping up and running for his sword. His eyes still track Merlin like he's an enemy soldier on the battlefield. But when he's got his sword he keeps it raised in front of him, his eyes on Merlin.

"Are you going to kill me?" asks Arthur,

"What?" bursts Merlin with disbelief.

"You're a sorcerer. A spy sent by Morgana to kill me." says Arthur, eyes still wide.

"That doesn't make any sense. I've been your servant before she..."

"That was probably her plan all along." says Arthur, but his eyes seem strange, they don't seem to see Merlin. 

"I don't have a plan, I'm loyal to you Arthur, please..." Merlin has stepped forwards towards Arthur, arms raised to placate him, but Arthur eyes go wide in panic and he's thrusting his sword out, straight into Merlin's stomach. 

For a moment Merlin stands there, looking down at the sword impaled in his stomach. For some reason he thought it would hurt more. It feels like a very sharp punch to the stomach. But as he looks at it, he can see the blood blossoming around the blue of his shirt. He thinks he should feel more afraid, but now he's going to die it feels a bit more like relief. His legs give out from under him, and as he hits the ground he jars the sword. The pain this time is incredible and he can't help keeling around the blade as he screams. His eyes starting to lose focus on the darkness of the forest around him. 

"Merlin?" Arthur's voice is distant and afraid, and already Merlin feels a little light headed. He can't move his head much, and breathing is heavy, dragging through his lungs.

"Merlin?!" In Merlin's blurred vision, Arthur's face comes into view, bright and golden in the firelight behind him. Merlin smiles, because Arthur is here, but he's frowning. Merlin tries to bring his hand up to reassure him, it's all right. 

"Shhh, t's okay." he mutters, his breaths becoming harder.

"Merlin, I'm sorry! Oh God please no!" Arthur's looking up and away, looking around helplessly. Tears are running down his face but he doesn't seem to care. 

"S' okay Arthur! S' okay." Merlin knows there's more he wants to say, but thinking is hard and Arthur's upset. All he wants to do is get that frightened look out of Arthur's eyes, but it won't go. But he doesn't have the energy to reach up now. And around Arthur's golden face the dark of the forest is drawing in, closer and closer, until all Merlin can see is Arthur's eyes.

"No, Merlin. Don't go! Don't..." Merlin's head slumps heavily onto Arthur's lap. His arms lip. His face is white and his eyes stare out into nothing. Arthur holds his body for a long time, holding it in shock. A few moments ago he was sat with his best friend eating dinner. And then his best friend was a sorcerer. And now his best friend is dead. Their last conversation plays over and over in his head like Arthur's on the rack and someone's slowly turning the gears. Merlin's confusion, the way he's frowned a little as he looked at the sword though his stomach. But it's when Arthur remembers Merlin's strangled scream as he hit the ground, unending in the silence of his mind, that Arthur collapses onto Merlin's corpse and screams himself. 

\-- 

The knights find them two days later. Merlin's body is laid out carefully with a bed roll over him up to his waist as if he lies in bed. His hands are laid across his chest, his eyes closed, and flowers piled all around. He seems to be smiling a little. Arthur's body is next to him, sprawled across the grass, his own sword driven through his heart.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry if this has scarred anyone, seriously go read something fluffy! ("Morning, Idiot" If I can shamelessly self advertise.)


End file.
